Tony Stewart to sit out NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Michigan

TURIN, NY - AUGUST 14: Pallbearers help to carry the casket of sprint car driver Kevin Ward Jr. at South Lewis Senior High School on August 14, 2014 in Turin, New York. Ward was killed August 9, when he exited his car during a dirt track race and was struck by a car driven by NASCAR driver Tony Stewart. (Photo by Rich Barnes/Getty Images)

TURIN, NY – AUGUST 14: Pallbearers help to carry the casket of sprint car driver Kevin Ward Jr. at South Lewis Senior High School on August 14, 2014 in Turin, New York. Ward was killed August 9, when he exited his car during a dirt track race and was struck by a car driven by NASCAR driver Tony Stewart. (Photo by Rich Barnes/Getty Images)

NASCAR champion Tony Stewart will sit out the NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Michigan International Speedway this Sunday. It marks the second NASCAR race Stewart has missed in the wake of a fatal accident at a dirt track in New York State last Saturday.

Last Saturday night 20-year-old driver Kevin Ward Jr. who was outside of this car, was struck by Stewart during the feature event. Video showed Ward’s car as it came to rest on the back stretch after being involved with Stewart on the previous lap. Ward exited the vehicle, and still wearing his racing helmet walked toward the line of cars circling under caution. He angrily pointed towards the car driven by Stewart; Stewart’s car struck Ward who was thrown in the air and landed several feet away. Ward was later pronounced dead at FF Thompson Hospital in Canandaigua. MORE>>>